It’s been about a year since we launched #HoHoTo. Last year this community raised about $25,000 for the Daily Bread Food Bank at our inaugural holiday party, and in the summer version (HoHOTo) raised another $15,000 or so.
This season our goal is $40,000 and the team has been working furiously to make it. And they will. They will, in short, because of the extraordinary support we’ve received from this community. Support from sponsors like Fused Network, which (without being asked) pledged to donate money received from new customer accounts, made an eye-popping outright donation, and has now raised the bar again by pledging to donate money for each pound of food donated at the door on December 16 – thanks @DavidAndGoliath! Support from sponsors like Molson’s, which rolled up its sleeves last year by helping us to get over the $25K mark and has returned again as an Elf Sponsor this year (thanks @molsontonia and @molsonferg!!). Support from The Mod Club, which has once again donated the venue for free. Support from so many other cash and in-kind sponsors we’ve lost count (see the site for the list). Support from our friends who will come and join us on December 16 with bags of donated food. Support from our friends in the military who will come on December 17 and cart away the more than a ton of food that will be collected. And support from the many people who will come to the party and carry on ’til we finally shut it down, reluctantly, gratefully – until we do it again.
You should join this community and support the Daily Bread Food Bank because the need is great. Changes in society and the economic hurricane that has passed through our lives have combined to devastate the food security of many of the most vulnerable in our community. Food security is becoming an issue now for many people who have never faced these challenges. The need is great, and there is much that we can do.
You should also come to the party because it will be the best party of the year in our community. You should come because friends of yours will be there. You should come because @photojunkie will take your picture if you do. You should come because Biz says so. You should come because Joey says it’s awesome. You should come because it’s been ages since we’ve seen you, and we’d like to say hi and share a toast to the holidays. You should come because Queen Rania says it’s awesome. That’s right – a Queen told you to go. You should come because this is how you’ll feel after the party. And you should come because a ridiculously high % of every nickel raised – and more food than you can shake a thousand sticks at – will go straight to people who need it. And if – against all odds, you can’t come – you should donate. It’s easy, it’s fun, you’ll feel amazing after you do and you will do more good than you know.
We’re close to our goal for this year – so close we can taste it. If you’re new to HoHoTo, this would be a great time to join this community. See you on December 16th!!
Update: Mayor David Miller and Don Tapscott chime in. How can you resist?